How I Beat Pests in My Garden

Every garden faces pests – it’s part and parcel of a healthy garden. But that doesn’t mean we can’t fight back! Ben guides us through the techniques he uses to keep pests in check in his own garden. All of the methods shown are organic so you can manage pests in step with nature.

If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
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[xavilend]

I work on another channel and honestly, the time and effort you're clearly putting into your editing, b roll, shot setups and explanations are not going unappreciated, truly one of my favourite youtube creators.

[melissadearing]

I plant garlic in all my vegi boxes. I’ve noticed significantly less aphids and other pests since starting that. Chives as well, but garlic seems to work really well.

[elizabethannavilaivanov]

Hello Ben, I use a plant-based dish soap (a formula of 85%). Not only is it safe for most plants, but it actually acts as a mild plant food booster to your regular fertilizer regime. Here in the U.S. I use "Seventh Generation" Lavendar/mint scent.

[jackiedixon]

Hi Ben, have a go at making some garlic spray it’s awesome, the little critters hate it.

[denisewall]

I live in a rural area where deer are the most voracious garden pest. I planted creeping thyme and chives around all of my outside borders and the pungent smell it gives when they step on it deters them better than any repellent.

[francesbatycki]

I’m a fairly new gardener. A couple of years ago I decided to learn more and grow a decent garden. Our soil was awful! I had okay crops the first year, but I they weren’t lush. I noticed I had hardly any insects. And I’d learned that a garden should have them. I set about amending the soil, bringing in compost in bulk, etc. Last year the garden began showing the effects! And this year it’s taken off and I’ve noticed not only pests, but more birds, butterflies and good pollinators, but a lot of cabbage moths. Still, I figure I’ve set something in motion and the garden will find a balance. I have so much food out there that I’m not worrying about pests, other than a bed dedicated to carrots. I covered that. Root fly be damned! I thought, I must be a real gardener now because I’ve brought all this life, good and not so good into the garden. It feels great. Your channel was one of the first I found, and the practical advice and the love you give the garden inspired me so much. Thank you. 🇨🇦❤️👩‍🌾🍁🥬🥕🌶️🫑🍆🥦🥒. Now I follow a number of channels that have helped me learn and I have a new sense of community because of this. All good. 👍

[judifarrington]

Love these videos! Thank you! I refuse to use sprays, and this helps. I have found netting also helps protect my crops from deer as well.

[traceydurant]

It's wonderful to note that your hose leaks at the sprayer like every other hose in the gardening world! Ben, you are a true joy to watch.

[reddiesteady]

Something is eating through my polytunnels mesh any ideas

[bsexempt]

I use powdered garlic(even out of date) chilli and vinegar all blended with rain water and drained into a sprayer via a very fine mesh

[carolavant]

Hi, Ben. Sometimes I really wish I lived in your climate, but then, N. Florida does have an almost continuous growing season. Our disease and pest pressure is horrendous, and we pretty much have to get on a pest control schedule and stick to it. Couple that with periods of drought followed by weeks of daily rain, and we find it hard, if not impossible to even apply pesticides. My solution has been to obtain and apply beneficial nematodes as soon as the danger of frost has past, and again in the Fall when the temperatures are consistently below 85. They work like magic, so long as we don't get a frost or freeze, and the temperatures stay below mid-80's, or they die. Excess rain will also kill them off, too. However, these microscopic little buggers are harmless to beneficial insects, but will attack and decimate pests, including soil bourn pests like root knot nematodes. Needless to say, from June to mid-September, and after our first frost, we rely on the methods you're using, or resort to OMRI approved pesticides or we get no appreciable harvests. Another thing we do here in the Deep South is pick tomatoes at "first blush" and ripen them indoors. Most of us plant determinant varieties of tomatoes that tend to all ripen within about a three week period, usually early to mid June. It's just too hot for tomatoes by the end of June. Leaving them to ripen on the vine is not advisable unless they're grown in a protected greenhouse, because stink bugs will sting them up and destroy them. On the bright side, using sensible techniques and responsible pesticide practices, I manage to grow and preserve about 80 to 90 percent of our produce for the year.

[VictorYT]

You mentioned the specialised and the broader spectrum insecticides; a good tip to give would be that the broader spectrum insecticides are more likely to negatively effect the beneficial bugs (due to them being less specific).

How I handle black aphids is by just cutting that part of the plant off. Cutting seems to prevent spread entirely whereas squishing works for only a few days (and then the eggs hatch I suppose). Having the aphids is more harmful than cutting a few leaves off.

[jackieo]

The mesh would probably keep the chickens out, too! Blasting aphids with a hose would be satisfying.

[darlenebradley]

WOW! I've been having an unprecedented attack of aphids this year....love your videos.

[dreadedscotslass]

I make a salt solution and spray the outsides of my plant pots with it (I have a bad slug/snail issue. The won't go up the pots so my plants are safe. In my raised beds I'm using the fine netting to try and keep my plants slug/snail free

[AvroChan]

My favourite pest control is my battered operated vaccuum 😂

[danielvonbokern]

Great bundle of natural pest control methods!! I noticed you shooting this in short pants and flip flop shoes. Make a strong concentration of garlic water to spray onto your footwear, to discourage video chiggers. Please keep these awesome videos coming! I learn so much from every one.

[Mote.]

I want to say thank you. Because in the spring time I watched your flower video and grew some you recommended. My garden this year is beautiful. So many color flowers that benefit the vegetables

[gracecanon]

Thank you for great tips and pics of the bugs.

[monamacfarlane]

Thank you Ben. This video was superior! We have struggled this season with pests and did resort to the beer tactic manual removal and eventually a bit of spray. We appreciate your video reminders, hoping to put them to more use for our fall season planting. Best wishes.